DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team will try and build off its first win of the season when the Eagles play three matches at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Dunn Campbell Invitational on Friday-Saturday, Sept. 16-17. NCCU will begin play inside Gore Arena in Buies Creek, North Carolina, with matches against Robert Morris University (11 AM) and The Citadel (3 PM) on Friday before playing the host Camels (11 AM) on Saturday.
MATCH INFO
Friday, Sept. 16 at 11 a.m.
NC Central vs. Robert Morris
LIVE STATS
Friday, Sept. 16 at 3 p.m.
NC Central vs. The Citadel
LIVE STATS
Saturday, Sept. 17 at 11 a.m.
NC Central vs. Campbell
WATCH (ESPN+);
LIVE STATS
NC CENTRAL VOLLEYBALL
The Eagles started their busiest week of the season with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Campbell, rallying from a two-set deficit to win 20-25, 24-26, 25-15, 25-18, 17-15. NCCU (1-6) played in the Campbell Invite last season, going 1-2 over the course of three matches.
NCCU's top four hitters all had season-best performances against the Camels. Freshman
Kamren Harper (2.75 KPS) led the way with 18 kills, classmate
Tori Wilson (2.13 KPS) followed with 13 kills, graduate student
Autumn DeSantis (1.22 KPS) reached double digits for the first time with 11 kills and freshman
Emmie Modlin (1.50 KPS) matched her season-best output with eight kills.
Sophomore
Vanila Pulu-Suliafu has been NCCU's primary setter this season and is contributing 6.75 assists per set. Pulu-Suliafu, who has reached double-digit assists in all seven matches, is coming off her second double-double of the season. She also leads the maroon and gray with 0.38 aces per set and is second on the team with 2.33 digs per set.
Sophomore libero
Loren Johnson is lifting up 4.54 digs per set, which ranks second in the MEAC. Johnson is second on the team with 0.33 aces per set.
NCCU snapped a 16-match losing streak to Campbell on Tuesday and is now 2-16 against the Camels in its modern era. The Eagles will be playing Robert Morris for the first time as a DI program. NCCU is 2-2 all-time against The Citadel, last splitting two matches against the Bulldogs in 2019.
ROBERT MORRIS VOLLEYBALL
The Colonials have won five straight matches, including a pair of 3-1 wins over North Alabama and Quinnipiac around a five-set triumph over Morehead State at the Morehead State Comfort Inn-vitational last weekend. Robert Morris (6-3) has only played one three-set match all season.
RMU has four players averaging over two kills per set in junior Annie Monaco (2.81), junior Abby Ryan (2.79), sophomore Ally Christman (2.45) and graduate student Alyssa Hudak (2.27).
The Colonials lead the Horizon League and rank 52nd nationally with 1.86 aces per set with their specialists leading the service game. Senior libero Allena Carmody, who is supplying 3.65 digs per set, has a team-best average of 0.35 aces per set. The setter tandem of freshman Kaitlyn Brown (4.00 assists/set) and sophomore Ashleigh Wallin (5.24 assists/set) have the next most aces for Robert Morris as they each average at least 0.30 aces per set.
THE CITADEL VOLLEYBALL
The Bulldogs have lost their last two matches to dip below .500 on the season. The Citadel (4-6) is coming off a narrow 3-2 loss to Charleston Southern on Tuesday.
Sophomore Ali Ruffin, the reigning SoCon Freshman of the Year, is blasting 3.61 kills per set and has double-digit kills in seven of the Bulldogs first nine matches. Ruffin is also averaging 3.33 digs, 0.64 blocks and 0.17 aces per set to average over four points per set.
Sophomore setter Belle Hogan joined Ruffin on the Southern Conference All-Freshman team and is supplying 9.58 assists per set. Junior libero Jaelynn Elgert has a team-best average of 4.05 digs per set.
CAMPBELL VOLLEYBALL
The Camels have lost three consecutive matches to conclude a nine-match road swing to start the season, capped by the 3-2 loss at NCCU on Tuesday. Campbell (2-7) will play Robert Morris on Friday before hosting the Eagles on Saturday morning.
Junior outside hitter Chloe Cook, a two-time All-Big South honoree, leads Campbell with 2.89 kills per set as she has reached double-digit kills in seven of nine matches this season. Freshman Gwen Wolkow (2.16 KPS) had a season-best 15 kills against NCCU while senior Melody Paige (1.73 KPS) and senior Ananda Patterson (1.70 KPS) are Campbell's next top attackers. Senior Lailah Green (1.62 KPS) matched her season-best output with 11 kills against the Eagles.
Another two-time All-Big South honoree in junior defensive specialist Claranne Fechter is leading the Camels with averages of 3.76 digs and 0.49 aces per set.
Paige is netting 1.32 blocks per set, which is ranked 46th nationally and tops the Big South Conference.
